Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

W. P. TRACY. THILL COUPLING.

No. 810,480. Patented Jan. 6*, 1885 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM I. TRACY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,480, dated January6, 1885.

Application filed May 16, 1884.

' the bail when thelatter is held in place by the To all whom it mayconcern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. TRACY, of Grand Rapids, in the county ofKent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Shaft Couplings and Supporters; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improved carriageshackle, having for its objectsecurity against rattling, and to hold the shaft automatically in avertical position when the carriage is not in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved shackle. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same. Fig. 3is a perspective view of one of the parts detached.

In these drawings, the bail 0, formed with an eye for the pintle d,connects the shaft to the shackle. The shackle is attached to the axlein the usual manner, and is provided with ears 0 c of ordinaryconstruction. The body of the shackle, however, is of specialconstruction, as shown in the figures. It is formed with a plate, f,with a plane surface adapted to lie against the under side of the axle,and has preferably a small vertical flange, 9, which bears against thefront edge of the axle. Underneath the plate the enlarged part h of theshackleis chambered to receive acoiled spring, It. The rear end of theshackle is plugged with an adj listing-screw, Z, by means of which thetension of the spring may be regulated. Ablock, m, provided with a stud,1, is adapted to fit between the ears, the stud projecting into theinterior of the spring. The block has also upper and lower flanges, 9 9so that it is securely held in place between the ears, and may slidefreely backward and forward. It bears upon the spring, which has playenough to keep the block pressed forward against the eye of (No model.)

pintle. When the spring loses-its elasticity, it may be set up by simplyturning the nut in the rear without the trouble of taking out andreplacing the worn spring, as is the casein the spring-shackles inordinary use. The front part of the block is formed to fit the rear endof the bail, and has also a transverse groove, 4, adapted to receive atransverse rib on the bail. This rib is so arranged that when the shaftis raised the rib presses back the block until it reaches the groove 4,in which it lodges and holds the shaft in a vertical position. Theconstruction is the same for both shafts, and these ribs serve to retainthe shafts in an upright position when the carriage is not in use.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction or form of theshackle or block.

I claim as my invention- 1. A shackle adapted to fit the axle andchambered to receive a spring, a spring inserted therein, and a blockfitted between the ears of the shackle and interposed between the springand the bail, all substantially as described.

2. A shaft-coupling and supporter consist- W. H. SHELLER, WILLIAMOswALD.

